One day after school, on the couch in the basement, Tori's uncle did something bad. Afterward, Tori tells her mom. Even though telling was a brave thing to do, her mom still doesn't believe her at first. Her grandma still takes his side. And Tori doesn't want anyone else — even her best friend — to know what happened.
Now Tori finds herself battling mixed emotions — anger, shame, and sadness — as she deals with the trauma. But with the help of her mom, her little sister, her best friend, and others, can Tori find a way to have the last word? From debut author Sonja K. Solter comes a sensitive, harrowing, and ultimately hopeful novel in verse about one girl's journey in the aftermath of abuse.
"Solter emphasizes the emotional effects both of the molestation and of the disparate reactions she encounters when others hear about it. At first, Mom doesn’t believe Tori, compounding Uncle Andy’s atrocity and giving Tori a terrifying 'whooshing-wave- / of-fire-and-ice-cold' in her body.... Tori’s arc is about healing, her free-verse story more a sketch than a fleshed-out deep dive, but it never skirts the big things: emotional suffocation, powerlessness, silence, anger, and recovery. Tori goes from wanting to 'shatter' her own face and 'dead eyes' to feeling the approaching summer beckon her, 'hopeful / that I’ll join it / with all of its Maybes.'" — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 10 - 13 |
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Author | Sonja K. Solter |
ISBN | 0316535443 |
Publication Date | Mar 24, 2020 |
Publisher | Little, Brown Books for Young Readers |
Language | English |